Drugs watchdog unapologetic

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) is
unapologetic about investigating weightlifters during the
Commonwealth Games and warns it could call in federal police.

ASADA chairman Richard Ings today defended the timing of the
inquiry into Australian weightlifters, saying their recent track
record of testing positive for drugs and a series of allegations
had forced him to act immediately.

The authority announced its inquiry yesterday, despite finding
that syringes found in athletes' accommodation at the Australian
Institute of Sport in Canberra had tested negative for performance
enhancing drugs.

Australian Weightlifting chairman Sam Coffa, who is also vice
chairman of the Commonwealth Games, has said he will co-operate
with the inquiry but told The Age the timing of it was
"shocking".

Speaking to reporters in Melbourne today, Mr Ings said there was
no "good time" to announce an inquiry and he would use every
resource, including ASADA's relationship with customs and the
Australian Federal Police.

"There's no good time to announce such an announcement, when
information is available the role of ASADA is to act," he said.

"On Tuesday when ASADA was launched I received ongoing reports
into various matters involving weightlifting.

"There have been four weightlifters who have tested positive for
prohibited substances in recent months, two have faced CAS (Court
of Arbitration for Sport) tribunals, been found in violation and
are currently having two-year sentences, the remaining two have
their CAS tribunals coming up in future weeks.

"One of those athletes is facing a second offence, facing a
potential lifetime ban.

"A fifth weightlifter, there has been an allegation made against
that weightlifter by federation officials of involvement in
trafficking.

"This is more than enough grounds to implement and commission
the investigation."

ASADA has been investigating Australian weightlifter Belinda Van
Tienen for allegedly supplying banned stimulants to fellow
weightlifters Camilla Fogagnolo and Jenna Myers, who have each been
suspended for two years for testing positive to the banned
substance benzylpiperazine (BZP).

The allegations did not prevent van Tienen from being selected
for the Australian team and she is due to lift in the 69-kilogram
class on Monday.

Mr Ings said terms of reference for the inquiry were being drawn
and the investigation would begin next week.

The inquiry will investigate all allegations of anti-doping rule
violations linked to Australian weightlifting.

"We will not hesitate to use ever power, every relationship at
our disposal," Mr Ings said.

The inquiry will be headed by Richard Young, one of the
principal drafters of the world anti-doping code.

ASADA has an annual operating budget of $12 million but Mr Ings
said he did not know how much the inquiry would cost, or whether he
would publicly release the findings.

Australia's weightlifting team has strenuously maintained it has
not been involved in any wrongdoing.

Weightlifting team chief Ralph Cashman said he was confident all
team members were drug free.